Before 1994, health care was only available to the poor through government-run hospitals and medical centers. These centers had quite a reputation for being sloppy and unprofessional. There were no private clinics to serve the needs of the population.

In 1994, the governor of Puerto Rico enacted a health reform plan that made health insurance available to its citizens to cover all medical costs except mental health care. The health reform movement got off to a rough start and is still being fine tuned into a system that works for everybody.

A person in Puerto Rico wanting health care benefits should contact one of three companies participating in the reform. They are Triple-S, Inc., Medical Card Systems, and Humana. But, insurance is expensive and has limited benefits.